"With all sorts of problems eh?"
"You don't even know, he's lucky he's got the kinks worked out with his engine. I hated him, he'd try to talk to me, apparently Raptor had been telling him stories of a pathetic competitor that horribly lost to her. That did wonders for my self esteem."
"Well I'm sure it didn't help any."
"Yea, it was kind of odd having Lightning trying to be my friend, apparently he was sent away by Raptor to Edwards so he'd have all his problems worked out. That attitude of hers still hasn't changed, of course back then I was seconds away from becoming a wreck any time I flew so I was grounded, and you know that's no way for us to live. Lightning very slowly managed to get me to talk to him, and through him I learned about his bitch of a sister. For a long time I was Lightning's friend and not hers. It was only when you got here that you managed to work my issues out and I got closer to Raptor, and now I'm as close as I'll ever be and she is trying to push me away." Nora said as you just sigh, it's a hard thing to deal with, and you really can't relate to her in any way.
"That's pretty rough. You write to Glennis at all?"
"Sometimes, she usually writes to me though. Any time she does write, I do take the time to respond to her, I'm not inconsiderate you know."
"Yea, well maybe you need to go and visit Glamours Glennis out in Edwards."
"How'd you know that's her full name?"
"Some guy where I'm from flew an X-1 past the sound barrier, and that plane's name was Glamours Glennis. There's a lot of similarities between this place and the world of flight from where I came from. It's like how I know all your model designations with only a little bit of thinking. If you do head out to Edwards, let me know, I'd like to meet Glennis."
"Yea, I'll let you know." Nora said as she smiled ever so slightly in the dark during the flight back to Avalon's Shadow.
"Hey there's another IFF on the radar."
"As long as it stays 20 miles from us I don't care what it does."
"It's Raptor's."
"Oh great. I wonder what she's up to this time." You say as you notice the new blip too.
"She's probably looking for me."
"Just tell her to go home. We're about an hour out anyways."
"But what if that doesn't help anything?"
"Then I'll tell her to go home." You say as you're not really concerned with Raptor's well being at the moment as she's the one who severely upset Nora.
"Rex? What are you doing out so late?"
"Had a meeting with Luna."
"Oh, have you seen Nora?"
"She's flying right next to me Raptor, go home. I'll make sure that Nora gets home safely."
"Would you please? She and I kind of had a fight."
"You mean another fight. You really need to watch what you do Raptor, sooner or later she's going to leave you if this keeps up."
"Can I join in your formation?"
"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea." You say as you follow Nora's movements to try and mask her IFF with yours.
"So just go back home?"
"Yes. Go home. I'll keep an eye on Nora until we get back."
"Alright, can you tell her I'm sorry?"
"You'll have to do that yourself. I'm not a messenger for either party, and if either of you come to me and ask me to be a messenger I'm not going to do shit." You say hoping that gets across to them.
"Alright, I guess I'll have to talk to her tomorrow."
"Yea, see you around Raptor, and try to control what you say. You seem to like shooting yourself in the hoof."
"Not that I want to."
"Still, you have an affinity to doing that." You say as you partially scold her and keep an eye on Nora at the same time.
"Alright, good night Rex."
"Whatever." You say as she speeds out of your search zone leaving just you and Nora again.
"In the name of Celestia I hate her so much."
"I know, she's a pain. Especially when she's being this dense. She needs to learn that she can't be doing that all the time. You need to throw a little more consequence on what she does."
"Mobius is already doing that for me." Nora said as you're a little surprised by that.
"Is he now?"
"Yea, she failed to keep his room dusted and he was pretty pissed off about it being dusty."
"God she is a stupid one."
"Tell me about it you don't live with her."
"You don't have to Nora."
"I know, but I love her."
"Yea I thought as much, but really she's high maintenance, personality wise not repair wise." You say as the runway lights of Avalon's Shadow are now visible along with the red anti collision lights of the dam.
"Home always looks so different at night. Sometimes I wonder why I don't fly more at night."
"Huh?"
"Just look at the runway and the dam."
"Is there something I'm not getting here Rex?"
"Maybe I'm just focusing on the small things and enjoying them. Having Avalon Dam here is kind of a reminder of home, but this is home for me. Having the dam as a backdrop just adds a sense of familiarity to the area."
"Oh wow. I think I see what you mean. This is kind of the latest I've ever been out." Nora said as she looked towards the flashing red lights atop Avalon Dam with the runway light running parallel with them.
"The sky is beautiful, cold but it's beautiful."
"Yea it is."
"So this is why you stay up late so much?"
"So I can stare at the sky?"
"Yea." Nora said as the two of you were looking up
You and Nora circle around Avalon's Shadow just taking in the sky before the two of you land.
"How have I not noticed the night sky before?"
"Sometimes even those of us with our heads in the sky forget to look up. I still have to fight the urge to walk out of my shop when the piston powered fighters go roaring by. I love that sound. If they've got a radial, well I'm distracted. Doesn't help me much that mom's got four radials."
"Huh?"
"Oh Patches adopted me."
"Oh, that makes sense of a few things now." Nora said as the two of you just talked under the night sky.
"Yea I guess it would. I'll see you around Nora, if Raptor gives you anymore shit stop by and I'll think of something."
"Na, I'll just do what Lightning did to her. Leave."
"Matching like with like. Can't say that I don't approve, but I do think that is a little harsh."
"Oh come on you've done some pretty harsh things yourself."
"Yea, to protect others. Though I kind of wish T-50 was around to harass Raptor. Sidney, well with the shuttles here, and their fuel being highly explosive, it was just better if he didn't meddle with things here."
"I hear ya on what happened to Sid, but you'd really want that annoying T-50 back?"
"Fuck no. Everyone fucking hated him. We should be getting some sleep Nora. See me in the morning if you want to keep talking." You say as you walk off to your hangar to sleep while Nora slowly walks to hers while staring up at the night sky.
1000 Hrs. Raptor's hangar
"So, you alright?"
"No you bitch I'm not ok."
"Is there anything.."
"Don't ask that Raptor. You know what you need to do. You need to stop being such a condescending bitch." Nora said as she walked out of her separate room.
"Nora, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what? Degrading me yet again?"
"Nora, please, I'm really sorry about what I said last night."
"Then why'd you say what you did?"
"Because I don't know how to love anyone, without hurting them." Raptor said as she looked away from Nora.
"Idiot."
"What?"
"You're an idiot."
"Mobius? Why are you?"
"Because you are capable of loving, but you're too self centered to see how any of it can benefit anyone but yourself. That's why you just hurt ponies."
"How do you know?" Raptor asked confused to how Mobius knew this and she didn't.
"Learned from Lightning."
"He told you?"
"He figured it out first. I turned a blind eye to your bullshit because I was away and didn't have to deal with it, but now I do and you're not getting away with it." Mobius said verbally hitting Raptor upside the head.
"I'm gonna be outside. Looks like a family argument." Nora said as she was a little embarrassed to be in the middle of that. With that she disappeared outside just as you're dreading tomorrow, when Falken goes to get Twilight. Though he's somehow roped G550 to go with him. Something tells you that you should have been reading his mail, but it's a bit late for that now, since he either stores his letters internally or incinerates them after reading them.
 
Elsewhere at about this time, Lightning and Sasha are trying to come up with a name for their little 141, and it's not going well for any party involved. Especially Sergei and Ludmila.
"For love of god shut hell up."
"You not helpful Sergei, go find Ivan."
"I will, drinks for everypony."
"There no need for drunk." Sasha said slightly scolding Sergei for his burning desire to be drunk right now.
"Sasha there always time to drink, this cause for celebration. Which mean drink."
"Not picked name yet."
"Is early party." Sergei said as he was going to try and push his way out the door.
"No, you not get anything until name decided on."
"Well, what do you think of Lilya?"
"Is good name. You come up with that?"
"Yes, I did come up with the name Sasha, can we just let Sergei go so he stops bothering us?"
"Da, Sergei, you may go, but do not be comings home drunk." Sasha said scolding Sergei who only rolled his eyes and continued out the door without a second thought to what he was going to do and with that he proceeded to KC's to go and drink with Ivan.
"Lilya, I hope she will be as beautiful as her name."
"If she's anything like her mother she will be."
"Thank you. I am worried you know?"
"Yea, you're not ready either?"
"Da. Lilya will be with us so soon. Was like yesterday you and I were dating." Sasha said as the two of them got a little too sentimental for Ludmila who had to excuse herself so she wouldn't hear all the details.
 
With the name decided, and Sergei going to the bar, which is where almost all the gossip around Sasha and Lightning's little filly was spread by Sergei, they now finally had a name to give her.
"Now before Ah give ya yer drink, what's the little one's name?"
"Why not give now? I tell you when I have drink."
"Cause yer ass is gonna be drunk an ya ain't gonna remember what her name is."
"Fine, name is Lilya."
"Thanks Sergei, now here's ya drink." KC said as he slid Sergei a glass and a bottle of Vodka.
"Huh, so the little filly's name is gonna be Lilya."
"There not problem with name is there?"
"Na, there's nothin wrong with the name. It's just an odd name for an F-35B."
"Sergei not tell you? It not F-35, it Yak-141, so she gets good Russian name."
"The hell Sergei been tellin ya Terminator? He ain't say nothin like that." Red Devil said as the Hornets and the Sukhoi groups were gathered around, just set to argue.
"I tell none of you anythings. You both makings of things up. I tell you now, it Yak 141 just like her momma."
"Sergei, you're shittin me. Come on man tell me you're joking."
"I have not ruined floor with shit, Lilya will be a 141. Not believings of me ask Rex." Sergei said as he was still somewhat sober, whereas Ivan was in one of his blacked out cycles. Which is rather sadly normal for this time of day.
"We were of tellings you, Lightning and Sasha very similar, very good chance the foal will be Yak 141."
"Please stop Berkut, it's bad enough hearing it from Sergei, we don't want to hear it from you too."
"If our silence be pleasings to you, then we shall continue to make noise." Berkut said as the entire Sukhoi clan was very happy to hear there was another Russian in the city, even if the little foal is probably going to have Lightning's avionics and control systems.
1300 Hrs. Your hangar.
"You ready to head out to Hornet?"
"Yea, I mean I don't have to pack anything so I'm good whenever you are."
"Great, I'd like to get out of here before Falken returns with Twilight."
"Ugh, well it could be a lot worse."
"How?" Thunder asks as you try and remember if G 550 took off with him or not.
"All of Twilight's friends could be coming with her."
"He can't carry all of them how?"
"550. I'm just trying to figure out if he took off with Falken."
"Oh no, he did."
"Oh for the love of god. I should have went through his mail." You say as you grumble at the sound of two jets flying over, one of them you know is Falken.
"God damned it."
"Uh I'm gonna go get Luna now."
"Yea you go do that. Try and come home quickly." You say as Thunder pulls you along to get you outside.
"Yea I'll be sure to do that."
"I'm so sorry."
"This was just bad timing." Morgan said as you just nod and walk with Thunder to the runway while Falken is leading Twilight's friends towards you.
"I hope we won't be imposing too much on you if we all stay."
"No, but you'll have to listen to Morgan and Luna, Thunder and I are going out of town for a little while, don't burn down the hangar, stay out of my room, and don't rearrange my shop." You say getting Twilight to nod.
"We won't break anything."
"Good, if any of you break anything you'll have to go through me, not Rex."
"Yes ma'am."
"Great, we'll be going now." Thunder said as you walk off with her as you both cringe before taking off into the sky
"I hope our home isn't destroyed when we get back."
"If it is, I know who's not going to get to stay with Patches, and who is going to have their mail gone through."
"Sounds a little harsh."
"No worse than your parents will be to me. They still think that I'm a human?"
"Oh I completely forgot about that. I haven't told them anything for all I know they could think you're dead from the accident that happened." Thunderbolt said as you just groan knowing you're going to be insulted, obviously and ignorantly insulted.
"That's going to go over really well sweetie."
"I'm sorry I totally blanked out on that."
"I understand how you could, you don't talk to your parents much. So I can see your old stubbornness keeping you from informing them." You say as the two of you are in flight towards Hornet. Though you and Thunderbolt laugh about this mishap it at least takes your mind off things at home, and is a pleasant distraction.
 
Back at home.
"I've got to go get Luna, so Grandma's gonna be watching over you all."
"Oh come on why does she need to be here? We won't break anything."
"Because dad wants us supervised, and I know he'd be happy if I got Patches to watch over you." Morgan said as she disappeared out the door to go and get Patches.
"Patches? What kind of name is that?"
"I'd be careful Rainbow, I wouldn't make my grandmother angry."
"Your grandmother?"
"Yes, dad's mom."
"That's Rex's mom?"
"Ugh, you're awfully dense, she adopted him, and she is a B-17F. Please do not do anything that would make her tell my dad." Falken said as he was a little more than irritated that Rainbow had to question who is grandmother is.
"Why would we do that?"
"Because at least two of you cannot control what you say. Not blaming any ponies in particular, Pink, Rainbow."
"Well, I don't think you should go about pointing them out like that then."
"Yes, but it is only a gentle reminder to watch what they say." Falken said as Patches came through the door.
"I don't get it Falken, why would Morgan ask me to watch over you and your friends, it's not like you can get into any trouble that can't easily be cleared up."
"My thoughts exactly, so if you do not believe there is a reason to be here."
"Oh hush, I know your mom and dad just left town for Hornet. Morgan did seem a little concerned about leaving the seven of you alone. Oh? They're little ponies."
"Yes Grandma, some of my friends are ponies."
"But they're so little." Patches said as she stared at them with curiosity.
"Grandma you're staring."
"Sorry, it's just not often I actually see a regular pony."
"Understandable, but please don't stare Patches."
"Oh what's the matter Falken?"
"I do not think that you need to be here." Falken said as he was both embarrassed and slightly annoyed that you didn't trust him.
"When you've got an attitude like that, I can't just go, and I know leaving isn't going to make things any better."
"Grandma, if you were to go back home, things would greatly improve for me."
"But I wouldn't get to meet your friends." Patches said playing a little bit of mind games with Falken, who she knew would not want to upset her, and that was her way into staying.
"Alright, give me a moment to remember their proper names and not the color based ones I've given them." Falken said with a sigh to which Patches just smiled.
"So we have Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack."
"So who's the one on your back?"
"Uh, that's Twilight Sparkle." Falken said as he was caught a little off guard and stood behind the other ponies.
"Oh she's a cute one." Patches said embarrassing Falken into shutting down his projected eyes to mask where he was looking.
"Thank you. Miss."
"You're very welcome Twilight Sparkle."
"Falken aren't you going to introduce her?"
"Oh there's no need I think he shut down socially for the moment. I'm Patches, his grandmother. You certainly are an interesting bunch of ponies." Patches said as Falken was trying to regain ground and a little bit of composure.
"Did your parents call you that?"
"Oh no, my name is actually 44-6719. Patches is a nickname that all the other bombers gave me along with the escort fighters. There's still evidence of some of the patches I've been repaired with to keep me flying after taking battle damage."
"You've been in battle?"
"Yes, long ago. It didn't concern you ponies, it was out near Avalon Territory's western border, Foggia if that helps you with where I was." Patches said as she was more than happy to share that information with Twilight.
And thus started a four hour long conversation about Patches' history that intrigued both Twilight and Falken, while the other ponies were either politely listening or passed out on the floor.
In Canterlot:
"So they have already arrived."
"Unfortunately yes, they have. I talked Patches into watching over them until you and I get back."
"I do believe it was wise for your father to supervise the two of them, but that could also be why her friends came along as well."
"Maybe, but I really don't want to think about what her friends are thinking." Morgan said as she and Luna were walking out to the runway in Canterlot.
"Shall we be going?"
"I guess so. I just hope Patches isn't bothered by them."
"Knowing Twilight as I do, she's probably gotten her to start talking about her past, and all the things she has done."
"Well, there's a somewhat depressing story for you."
"Why do you say that?"
"We're the only living relatives she's got left. That's only because she adopted dad."
"That is terrible. Do you know what happened?"
"To put it easily, combat loss. They went down fighting." Morgan said as she let Luna climb on her back and then into her cockpit.
"And she is alright?"
"Oh she doesn't think about them at all. When she does though, Dad doesn't come home for a week. Those two mean a lot to each other, just like Falken and I mean a lot to our parents" Morgan said as she got ready to take off with Luna safely inside of her
 
Hornet, Thunderbolt's Parent's
"Thunderbolt what a surprise"
"Hey mom how are ya?"
"I'm alright, but what about you? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm quite alright mom" Thunderbolt said as the two of you discussed how to handle this situation, it would be see how long it takes them to bring you up and then see if they notice that you're taking an awful lot of offense to what they're saying
"Are you sure? I didn't think you'd take his death lightly"
"Who's death?"
"Rex's death, that little human she married"
"Oh, he's still around." You say dropping a hint to Skye
"And what makes you say that? Have you seen him?"
"Mom, don't you recognize him?"
"He sounds familiar."
"Mom listen to him."
"Why should I?" Skye asked as she stared at you with a bit of questioning and concern.
"How can you not remember my voice Skye? I mean sure we may have only talked once, but we did talk for quite a while, so I'm taking a little bit of offence to this."
"Rex?"
"In the flesh."
"We're not meat sacks."
"I still use meat bag terms." You say as as you're very indifferent to her insults at the moment.
"Well, that's definitely an improvement over your former self, but it would be better if you were a ground attack."
"MOM!"
"What? I'm just saying dear."
"Dad's going to just love seeing him isn't he?" Thunderbolt said as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh, well Raider's actually busy working with some of the local Tomcats."
"So he's not going to be around for a while?"
"Next couple of days actually."
"You mind if we stay for a couple days?"
"Of course dear. It's going to be nice to not have to worry about accidentally crushing Rex for once." Skye said as she smiled and let the two of you into her hangar.
Avalon's Shadow, your hangar:
Morgan and Luna have arrived to find five ponies asleep on the ground while Twilight and Falken are talking to Patches.
"Thanks Grandma. We've got it from here."
"Oh Morgan you know about these two?"
"Yes grandma, of course I know about those two." Morgan said as she rolled her eyes and noticed that her brother did not have his eyes turned on.
"Well if you two have everything handled, I'll leave them to you, don't hesitate to come and get me if they get out of hand Morgan."
"I won't Patches."
"Tell your dad he needs to visit with me more often when he gets back."
"He practically lives over there Grandma, if he does that he won't live here anymore."
"I know, I just like to give ponies a hard time sometimes." Patches said with a smile as she was leaving the hangar.
"Listen you break anything, burn anything or do anything that you're not supposed to and I catch you, Dad will know faster than you can say sorry."
"Morgan, I do not understand why you are so concerned about us."
"That's just a warning, try not to do anything out of the ordinary alright?" Morgan said as she looked over to both Luna and Twilight with a look of is he serious?
"I will do as I always have, everyone around me is acting out of the ordinary if you ask me." Falken said as Morgan forced a smile and walked off with Luna still on her back.